Kona - Be there soon! Earthquake???

[Teamcasa]

I am so looking forward to diving Kona a week from today!
Has the recent earthquake caused any problems? We are use to them here in SoCal that we think very little of a 4.0. I'm not sure how it would effect Kona HI.

Dave

 

[friscuba]

http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/

This map currently shows 72 earthquakes on Hawaii Island in the last two weeks. That's about typical.

There was a big one last October. It did affect numerous private households and 1 hotel up north.

For the average tourist, earthquakes are a complete non-issue unless it's quite big and happens while they are visiting.

 

[Cacia]

OH MAN! You need to go watch the lava flow! It is gushing compared to when I saw it. Do a heli ride or at the very least hike out there, although I did not like the feeling that my shoes were melting. Very, very spectacular and special.

I was talking to some guys once about shooting some underwater shots of the lava. I guess it can avalanche....If I were you I'd be thrilled, great timing.

 

[Teamcasa]

OH MAN! You need to go watch the lava flow! It is gushing compared to when I saw it. Do a heli ride or at the very least hike out there, although I did not like the feeling that my shoes were melting. Very, very spectacular and special.

I was talking to some guys once about shooting some underwater shots of the lava. I guess it can avalanche....If I were you I'd be thrilled, great timing.

Will/do they actually allow divers near the lava? I’d assume you would need special permission from God, the National Parks Service, Condoleeza Rice herself along with every single Hawaiian State Government official alive and dead first. But it might be worth it to try~!

Looking forward to diving anywhere in Hawaii!

Dave

 

[RonDawg]

I was just in Kona last week.

If there was an earthquake there, you wouldn't know it. Kona looks just like it did when I visited them for the first time in 2004, except traffic is a bit worse on Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway as they are widening it to four lanes between Kailua-Kona and the airport. If you will be traveling during "peak" hour, give yourself extra time, especially if going to the airport. And I noticed that Kuakini Hwy has been upgraded as well.

Driving around to the Hilo side, my friend and I noticed a couple of "missing" pedestrian overpasses that had stairways to nowhere on each side, but the horizontal part over the highway was missing. I'm guessing those either collapsed in the earthquake, or were so badly damaged they were taken down.

My friend's knees were giving him problems (old on the job injury) and thus we didn't hike to any of the lava flows. However, a few people I met on the dive boat told me that although the Park Service says it was a 1.5 mile hike to see it from the end of the road, it was in reality closer to a 5 mile hike each way. All agreed it wasn't worth the effort. If you really want to see the lava, you may want to do what catherine did and take a helicopter flight, though it's not cheap.

Oh, and you definitely gotta do the manta ray night dive. It's worth the trip to Kona by itself.

 

[gkndivebum]

Updates on what's going on at Kilauea can be found Here.

I don't know of any dive operators who will venture near where the lava is flowing.
Not a stellar idea given the propensity of the newly-formed lava benches have for
collapsing.

As for earthquakes, you can find out what's going on from here.

Oh, and that's good advice about the traffic on the Queen K RonDawg - it can be
positively idiotic at times.

 

[Wildcard]

I have long wanted to do a live lava photo shoot. I know it can be done but it has to be a live boat deal. No dive op would touch it and no dive op with a boat on that side of the island anyway. Im game if anyone else wants to do it. I tried like heck when I lived on BI and had my boat there do do that dive, still want to.
The overpasses were taken down due to age not quake damage.

 

[Teamcasa]

http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/

This map currently shows 72 earthquakes on Hawaii Island in the last two weeks. That's about typical.

There was a big one last October. It did affect numerous private households and 1 hotel up north.

For the average tourist, earthquakes are a complete non-issue unless it's quite big and happens while they are visiting.

We will definitely contact you when we arrive in Kona for a dive! We are looking forward to it!

Dave

 

[Teamcasa]

I just wanted to post (lost in HD crash) a brief thank you to Big Island Divers for a great time in Kona.

Here are some highlights.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJzkYU0wDHs



Dave

 

[QQQ99999]

Nice Video. Gotta luv that Manta dive! The diver looked a little startled by the Moray...